This invention relates to pneumatic systems and in particular to pneumatic systems having an inflatable/deflatable article connected to a fluid source, for example a pump.
It is known for such systems to have a coupling assembly connecting the article to the fluid source, the coupling assembly comprising a male insert and a cooperating female receptacle for receiving the male insert so as to form a coupled state. The male insert or female receptacle includes a mechanical latch cooperating with a cavity on a corresponding surface of the other for mechanically latching and unlatching the coupling assembly, the male insert member and the female receptacle both defining a pathway for the flow of fluid through it when in the coupled state. A seal member extends between the male insert member surface and the surface of the female receptacle to provide a fluid tight seal when in the coupled state.
WO96/14785 describes a pneumatic system comprising an inflatable mattress connected to a pump by a connector mounted on the end of a fluid line from the inflatable mattress, the connector being mechanically inoperable upon disconnection with the pump. In this way, the connector ensures that the inflatable mattress is used only once, for reasons of clinical safety.
However, such pneumatic systems of the prior art including connectors that prevent re-use are not able to distinguish between different articles to be inflated or different pumps.
Modern technology has now made it possible to design a pump to be programmable so that a number of different inflatable articles with differing inflating and/or deflating arrangements fulfilling totally different functions may be attached to a physically identical pump. Thus, there is a need for an intelligent means associated with the pump and/or the article able to identify or distinguish between the pump and the article connected, and further to control the operation of the pump appropriate to the article connected.